It all started in our Development Communication class…

Mr. P. Orcullo: Kinsa’y taga-Toril diri?

Juan & JP: Si Oje! Sir, si Oje!

Mr. P. Orcullo: (pointing at me) O, ikaw! what is the difference between Toril and Davao? between rural and urban lifestyle?

Oje: Ha? Sir, dili man ko taga-Toril… nag-"board" lang man ko didto!

Classmates (in unison): Ha?! Layua ato oi! Nag-board ka pa!

everyone was laughing hysterically… and i thought, "kailan pa naging funny ang pagbo-board sa toril?… haaay, you all have no idea!" … just so you’d all know, we’re moving out, again, and in to another BOARDING HOUSE today … no worries, i’m already used to this setting since i have been traveling even before i came out to the world. i was conceived in digos city, then my parents moved to malita davao del sur. and i was born here in toril, davao city. i also experienced living in compostela valley… my father had to work in banaybanay, davao oriental so we lived there for about 2-3 years. he worked for the cojuangcos who were sought after by the npa after the marcos reign… delikado daw so we had to move to darong, sta. cruz sa place ng mama ko… nag-aral ako dun ng elementary… nag-high school sa toril… at nag-college sa downtown davao… then we moved to doña rosa, toril 2 years ago… at ngayon, sa kabilang sulok na naman ng toril kami lilipat… sanay na nga ako mag-hakot at mag-impake… haay, may sarili naman kaming bahay sa darong pero we have a problem with my drunkard lolo who lives next door… ‘pag naglalasing yun nagiging action-packed ang araw namin… may habulan, saksakan, bugbugan… gusto nya yatang patayin ang mga tao sa paligid nya… galit sya sa mundo, yun daw yun… hindi kami ang sinasaktan nya kundi mga kainuman at kapitbahay nya… in the end, sya rin naman ang nasusugatan… ilang beses na nga ‘yong tinaga ng itak ng kaaway niya… and we had to bring him to the hospital all the time… sometimes i’d wish he dies (pero binabawi ko rin ha! love ko rin yun kahit papano) so we could all go back to darong and live a peaceful life, as opposed to our nomadic state now… ang mahal magrenta ng bahay, and we always have to adjust to new neighbors… nakakainis talaga… kung bakit kasi hindi ako nananalo sa lotto para makabili naman kami ng malaking bahay sa tuktok ng samal island… kung sabagay, hindi pa ako tumataya… hay, makataya na nga!